


who is she?

by youcarrymeaway



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Cinderella Elements, Cute, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fundraisers, One Shot, Princesses, Strangers, Sweet, college rey, modern fairytale, starstruck Ben, sunshine rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26065465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youcarrymeaway/pseuds/youcarrymeaway
Summary: "I don't know. I'm not exactly one for magic, historically.""Well," she said stubbornly, "maybe that can change."(Rey is hired as a princess for a charity fundraiser. Ben attends and can’t help but think she’s everything he’s ever wanted.)
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	who is she?

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the soundtrack of the 2015 Cinderella.
> 
> The is unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> I hope you like this floofy nonsense.

Ben liked kids just fine.

Everyone was a kid at some point, and a lot of times they could be pretty darn cute.

But standing beside his mother at the podium of a large banquet hall, looking out at a sea of them, sitting at hundreds of tables and chattering away… Well. 

It was just a tad bit overwhelming.

His mother, Leia Organa, had long ago started an organization for children in foster care in New York City. Like other charities of its kind, it sought to provide these kids with proper nutrition, education, and mentoring services to help them stay on the right path. What made her charity stand out from others, in his opinion, was Leia herself.

She was always incredibly engaged in the work, never letting tasks be done by someone else if she could manage them herself. She personally met with as many of the children as she could to ascertain their needs and assure them that they would be taken care of. She gave a face and a personal touch to a process that could otherwise be very impersonal.

Considering his mother was so wonderful with people, it must have been quite a disappointment for her to discover that her son was simply… not. 

He had to take a deep breath as this though flitted through his mind. His therapist had reminded him that while he was allowed to feel this way, that it didn’t actually reflect reality, and it was important to remember that. His mother loved him. Even when he fucked up. 

His attention was brought back to the ceremony at hand as Leia finished her speech and the crowd exploded into applause. He clapped politely as well, before following her back to their table at the head of the ballroom.

“I can’t wait for their reactions when the entertainment gets here,” Leia beamed as Ben pulled out her chair for her, and she was seated at their table near the front of the room once again. 

“Entertainment?” Ben furrowed his brow in confusion. 

Leia leaned closer to him so that her voice wouldn’t carry. “The actors that I hired from the party company. They’re playing princesses and superheroes for the kids.” 

Ben nodded in understanding. “Ah, of course.”

He sipped absently at his wine as he glanced around the room. Leia had really outdone herself with this one. It had taken months of planning for her to pull this off, and thus he had felt obligated to attend in support. Even though it clearly wasn't his favorite or most comfortable environment to be in.

Just then, a woman with purple hair hurried over to Leia to whisper excitedly that, "The performers are ready."

Leia beamed. "Let them in."

The woman scurried off, and Leia threw Ben a conspiratorial grin. Ben had to suppress his instinct to roll his eyes. 

There was a cry of delight as the kids spotted the actors decked out in costume dispersing around the room.

Even Ben had to smile at the sight of pure joy on their tiny faces. He wasn’t completely heartless, despite what some believed. They were cute kids, and it was nice to see them so happy.

That’s when he spotted her. 

Across the room, a tall brunette was bent over, talking to a small boy whose eyes were wide with awe. Her dress was satiny purple, and a small tiara rested upon her head. Her hair fell in loose waves around her delicate face.

She was grinning down at the boy, and her smile was maybe the brightest thing he’d ever seen. 

He didn't even realize he was staring until his mother made a comment to him, and he had to blink a few times to refocus his attention on her.

He did his best to shake off the strange feeling the sight of the girl had caused within him.

Despite his best efforts, however, he couldn't stop noticing her wherever she went.

Throughout the dinner that was served by the banquet hall's staff, the brunette swept about the room, moving from child to child and dazzling each one with her sweet smile. At one point, she was near enough to their table that when she laughed, he could hear her boisterous amusement bright and clear. He forced his gaze back down to his mashed potatoes. 

“So,” he asked, with as much feigned nonchalance as he could, “are these actors, like, high schoolers or something?” 

Leia laughed. “Oh, no. Some of them are college students, but the majority are actual theater actors who are just down on work at the moment. I wanted to make sure I had the best for my event.” 

Ben had to laugh at that. She wouldn’t be Leia Organa if she didn’t demand the highest of quality.

By now, Ben had been finished with his meal for some time, and in a bid for a moment of quiet he glanced over at the doors leading out to the balcony. 

“Mom, I’m just gonna get some air,” he said as he rose from his seat. “I’ll be back for the dessert course, I promise.”

Leia gave him a brief nod of acknowledgement before she was pulled back in to another conversation with one of her big donors. He left her alone and made his way outside.

He just needed a break.

Standing at the balcony’s edge, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief at being free from the heat and the noise that permeated the inside of the building. Kids were pretty cute, but they were also _loud._

His internal musings were interrupted when he heard a voice from the entrance to the balcony stammer, “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize…”

He turned to see who it was, and could only gape as he came face to face with the pretty brunette. The one he hadn’t been able to stop staring at. 

Fuck, what if she had noticed? 

“I can just…” She began edging back towards the door. 

“No, no, I can go if you want.” He didn’t walk towards her, not wanting to appear threatening, but also wanting to give her the option of him leaving. 

She blinked. “What? No, it’s fine. I’m just on my break for a few minutes. Gotta catch my breath, you know?” 

The princess was British. Fuck, her voice was just as magical as the rest of her. 

"Yeah, I get it. I needed the same, honestly." He made sure there was enough space for her to stand beside him.

She walked over to stand near the edge of the balcony, a good few feet separating the two of them. Ben studied the beauty of her hair. 

“You’re Leia’s son, right?” she asked, turning to face him. Curiosity sparked in her pretty brown eyes.

He nodded, before stupidly remembering his manners and sticking out his hand towards her. “Yes, that’s me. I’m Ben. Ben Solo.” 

She smiled as she took his hand. “Rey Johnson,” she said, giving his hand a quick shake. It was so delicate and small compared to his, and the difference only made his stomach flip harder. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” He paused. “And what, may I ask, is your character’s name for the evening?”

Her grin widened, and Ben could see that she had dimples. Goddamn it, she was so _cute_. 

“I believe the name I was given was, ‘generic un-copyrighted princess’, at your service.” She bowed theatrically. 

Ben chuckled. “Ah, of course. Every little girl’s dream is to meet her.” 

Rey shot him a mildly affronted look. “And little boys, too.” 

His stomach dropped. “Oh, of course, I didin’t mean to imply that-” 

She gently nudged his arm, smirking. “I’m mostly teasing. But I’m glad you agree with me, on this.” 

“No, of course,” he hurried to add. “I mean, I wasn’t into princesses myself-” 

“Not a great sentence out of context,” she commented mildly. 

Ben couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of him at that. “It… definitely isn’t. But what I _meant_ to say, is that I was into baking and art, so I certainly am not judging anyone’s non-traditional interests.”

“Well, that’s good to know.”

There was a moment where the two of them were quiet, looking out at the gardens below them. The silence felt good, though. Companionable.

“So, you know what I do for a living.” Rey tapped the tiara resting on her head. “But I don’t know anything about you. What do you do?” she asked. 

Ben sighed. “I’m a lawyer,” he said, before he winced. “Well, _was_ a lawyer, I guess. I’m currently not really employed. Just helping my mother out with the foundation while I figure… some things out.”

Rey nodded thoughtfully. “Oh,” 

“What about you?” At her questioning look, he explained. “Is this… a permanent gig, or are you just playing princesses temporarily?” 

“Ah. Well, I’m recently out of college for acting, so this is a good gig to make some money while I look for some bigger jobs.” She bit her lip, the action pulling Ben’s traitorous attention to her lips. “But I’m actually doing this for free, tonight.” 

Ben frowned. “What do you mean?’ 

Rey’s smile turned soft and wistful. “Your mom’s organization… it really means a lot to me. So if I can do her this favor, then I’ll do it, no questions asked.”

He took in this information, and studied her. A slow, dawning realization fell over him. “Were you… a foster kid?” 

She looked up at him sharply. “How did you know that?”

Ben shrugged. “I mean, just based on what you said… it just made the most sense.”

Rey exhaled. “Well, you’re right.” More quietly, she whispered, “I was just like all those kids in there. They deserve to be happy for a night, and I would be honored to help them out with that. Many of them don't get opportunities like often, if ever.”

He could tell Rey was feeling emotional, so he tugged off his suit jacket, awkwardly offering it to her. Rey looked at it questioningly. 

“In case you’re… cold,” he explained, somewhat stupidly.

She smiled, the expression more genuine than he had seen it be all night. “Thanks, Ben,” she said, taking it from him.

“Sure, of course,” he whispered.

Rey tugged on his jacket, and as it was much too big for her, she used the extra sleeve length to cover her hands.

"You look really beautiful, by the way," he admitted in a rush, feeling his ears beginning to burn in embarrassment. "In case no one's told you that tonight."

It was a stupid thing to say, but he simply couldn't help himself. She didn't seem to mind, as she flushed at his compliment. "Thanks," she murmured softly. "You, um, look really great too. But I'm sure you know that."

A smile tugged at his face, and he glanced away shyly to study the tiny lights of the city in the distance. "Thanks," he repeated.

Rey inched a bit closer to where he was standing, and their arms brushed lightly against one another.

"You know," she began, "maybe it's just the costume talking, but standing out here, looking at the city, is a pretty magical experience."

He turned his head so he could see her better. Her profile was lit by the city's lights, and it gave her an almost ethereal glow.

"And then there's me here, ruining it," he deadpanned.

Rey looked up at him, indignant. "That's not true at all. You're a part of it, too."

He feigned a shrug. "I don't know. I'm not exactly one for _magic_ , historically."

"Well," she said stubbornly, "maybe that can change."

Their gazes locked together.

"Maybe it could," he said quietly.

He was acutely aware of the little space between them, and how Rey's eyes darted down to his lips. She took a shaky breath, and slowly moved towards him.

Ben could barely feel himself breathing as Rey inched closer and closer to him. Eventually, they were so close together that her nose brushed gently against his. A shiver coursed its way through him at the contact.

She remained there, hovering just inches from his lips, hers parted ever so slightly.

Ben realized, with a start, that she was waiting there for him. 

With one quick breath for courage, Ben closed the gap between them and sealed their lips together.

Her mouth was soft - so much softer than he could have possibly imagined - and Ben felt a shock of electricity run down his spine as Rey tilted her head and deepened the kiss, a soft noise escaping her that he desperately chased.

He cupped the back of her neck, his fingers threading through her silk-soft hair. Her body swayed closer to his in response as her tongue swept into his mouth and he let out a muffled groan.

They kissed for what felt like years, but also could have been mere seconds. All Ben knew was that he never wanted it to end. This feeling of warmth, of light, of hope, all wrapped up in one kiss made him feel positively light-headed.

But oxygen was something they unfortunately needed, and the two broke apart to breathe harshly against one another’s lips. 

Ben opened his eyes to see Rey’s were still half lidded; her mouth was parted and kiss-swollen, and her cheeks were flushed.

A loud cheer from inside shattered the spell.

“Oh, shit,” Rey breathed, going slightly pale. “I should… should be getting back to work.”

“Yeah, of course,” Ben finally managed to find his voice. “Sorry I- um, kept you.” 

Rey was already walking quickly towards the exit, but at his words turned to face him. She flashed him a small, sincere smile. “You really didn’t, Ben.”

He watched her close the door behind her, and sagged back against the balcony railing. He traced his thumb across his lips, blinking rapidly in an attempt to come out of his daze.

He'd said he wasn't one for magic, but fuck if that wasn't the most magical thing that had ever happened to him.


End file.
